Yarn handling method and apparatus



Aug.. M, 195i E. K. BAUER 2,563,986

YARN HANDLING METHOD AND APPARATUS Filed July 3D, 1946 A 2 Sheets-Sheet l /3 o oooo oooooooo 0000/000 OO -o o o o /4 o M o o of o o o :o /4 o o 0 o o O o o O o iig- Ja f iig-Q w F557-, .fc

v INVENTOR.

A ERNEST K. BAUER Aug. 14, 1951 E. K. BAUER 2,563,986

YARN HANDLING METHOD AND APPARATUS Filed July 30, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

ERNEST A', BAUER Patented Aug. 14, .1951

YARN HANDLING METHOD AND APPARATUS Ernest K. Bauer, Meadville, Pa., assignor to Americ'an Viscose Corporation, Wilmington, Del., a

corporation of Delaware Application July 30, 1946, Serial No. 687,068

10 Claims.

l This invention relates to improved methods and apparatus for the handling of larnentary material, such as twisted yarns or yarn-like bundles of untwisted continuous iilamentary material such as may be obtained during the production of artiiicial filaments. l

One of the objects of the invention is to providefa method and apparatus for delivering a continuous strand comprising one or more ends and involving the utilization of a fluid stream and an improved system for separating the filamentary bundle from such iiuid stream adjacent the point of delivery. j

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved method and apparatus for the continuous removal of strands from a plurality of packages, the combining of such strands into a common strand, the conveying of the common strand by a fluid medium and subsequently separating the common strand from'the stream adjacent its point of delivery thereby.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved method and apparatus of the character just indicated in whichL the --continuous common strand may be cut at intervals while be- L.

through various forms of separating devices that Y may be used in carrying out the invention,

Figure 2 is a similar elevation of another system for carrying cut the invention,

Figure 3 is a plan view of the system shown in Figure 2 omitting the bobbin-supporting racks,

Figure 4 is an end view of the cutter with the front plate ofA the cutter housing removed, and

Figure 5 is a section through line V-V of Figure 3.

As shown in Figure l, one or more yarn-like strands or bundles 2 are withdrawn over-end from one or more bobbins 3 disposed upon a platform 4 and held in position thereon by the posts 5. Such strand or strands proceed through a common guide 6 through a conduit 'I which is supplied with a blast of fluid, such as compressed air, steam or the like through a form of injector comprising an annular channel 8 surrounding the conduit and communicating therewith through an annular port 9. Bore I constitutes the entrance of the conduit 'I through which the strands are sucked by virtue of the flow of the compressed air or other iiuid toward the discharge end of the conduit 1. The fluid may be supplied through a conduit II. The conduit 1 is supported in a bracket I2 which also supports a separating device comprising' one or more end supporting plates I3 having a plurality of approximately parallel smooth-surfaced rods I4 projecting therefrom or therebetween. The rods I4 have long, narrow slits therebetween and form a grillwork allowing the fluid blast to pass therebetween while retaining the strand 2.

As shown, the rods of the grillwork are free of obstructions to the sliding of the filaments and are inclined from the normal to the direction of the fluid blast discharged from theconduit 1, so that the strand or strands caught by the grillwork are forced longitudinally of the rods toward the ends thereof disposed at a greater dis'- tance from the discharge opening of conduit 1. As they are thus displaced out of the direct fluid stream, they finally reach a point where they are not held against the rods by virtue of the fluid stream but instead fall into a receptacle I disposed under the portion of the rods away from ,the discharge of conduit 1.

- Figures la, 1b, and 1c are transverse crosssections through various forms of separators which may be used. In Figure la, the rods I4 are disposed in a straight row which may project from a single end-supporting plate I3. In Figure 1b, the rods I4 are arranged along an arc of a circle, whereas in Figure 1c the rods are arranged on two sides of a triangle to form a dihedral angle between the rows of rods. I

In the form of device shown in Figures 2 to 5,

` the individual ends proceedfrom bobbins carried on upright supporting racks 2| provided with pins 22. They pass through the common guide 23 through the mouth or entrance 24 of a conduit 25 comprising an injector jet at its entrance supplied by a fluid under pressure by means of line 26'. Between th-e two sections 25a and 25h of the conduit 25, a housing Z'I is provided to receive a cutter comprising a blade or knife 28 (see Figures 4 and 5) carried on a rotating shaft 29 and a stationary blade 30 adapted to co-operate with the knife. As the strand or strands are conveyed by the fluid stream through the portion of the conduit 25 in advance ofthe cutter housing, the

strands are directed over the top of stationary blade 30 where they are in a position to be cut by the rotating blade 28.

'I'he cutter housing comprises a back plate 3| and a front plate 32 hingedly mounted at 33. The lugs 34 on the front plate or door 32 cooperate with a wing nut 35 secured on a bolt 36 swivelly mounted at 31 on the back plate. The conduit 25h is secured in the front plate 32 in alignment with the first portion 25a thereof.

The cutter shaft `29 is rotated by a pulley 38, a belt 39, a pulley 40, motor shaft 4| and motor 42.

'I'he cut fibers discharged through the portion of conduit 25h beyond the cutter are caught by the grillwork of the separating device 43. This device comprises a complete semicircle of rods 44 secured on a single end supporting plate 45 which in turn is supported upon the uprights 45. In this arrangement, the fibers are carried at high velocilnl in the fluid stream in an approximately horizontal direction and the rods of the grillwork are inclined to the direction of the iluid strean so that the tendency of the uid blast is to force the bers toward the7 free ends of the rods which are disposed directly above a receptacle 41. As shown, this component of motion imparted by the uid blast is downward and as soon as the fibers become insufciently supported by the air blast, they fall by gravity into the receptacle.

The rods in the grillwork are preferably sufciently long that the ends farthest from the discharge opening of the fluid-conveying conduit are substantially outside the direct air current and preferably outside adjacent eddy currents formed beyond the conduit. By such construction it is assured that the lamentary material, whether continuous or discontinuous, will fall directly from the rods into the receptacle therebelow. The space between the rods may vary widely depending upon the length of the staple ber produced when cutting is involved. When continuous bundles, as in Figure 1, or when long staple fibers, say from about three inches up are produced, the spacing may vary from about a quarter of an inch even up to one-half an inch. When shorter fibers are produced, it is preferred to have proportionately smaller spaces. In general, a spacing from 11e to it; of an inch is highly advantageous for all purposes, since such interstitial spacing allows the iluid free passage while retaining the lamentary or brous materials as they are forced longitudinally of the rods.

As described hereinabove, the system of the present invention is adaptable to the handling of continuous lament bundles whether twisted or untwisted. and to yarns or strands made up of continuous filaments or staple bers. One imtion while replacing the collecting receptacle, such as receptacles I5 and-4l. The procedure is highly advantageous in converting continuous illamentary material and especially that coming from the waste residue upon used bobbins to staple ber as illustrated in the embodiment of Figures 2 to 5. When used for this purpose, the air blast which conveys the bundle through the portion 25h of the conduit beyond the cutting device, serves to open the clumps of cut fibers.

It is to be understood that changes and variations may be made Without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Iclaim: y

1. A method of handling continuous illamentary material comprising conveying the material longitudinally in a fluid stream, cutting the material at intervals into discontinuous lengths, then directing the material-conveying stream in a predetermined path against a grillwork conssting of a plurality of smooth-surfaced elements disposed with long slits therebetween and inclined from the normal to said path whereby said fluid forces the discontinuous lengths of lamentary material to slide freely longitudinally of said elements out of the direct path of the stream, thereby facilitating the passage of the fluid through the slits and the separation of the material from the stream.

2. Apparatus for handling nlamentary material comprising a conduit, means for directing a iluid stream through the conduit for conveying portant use is to provide an elicient system for removingA waste yarns left upon used bobbins. It will be apparent that the operation is entirely continuous. When one or more of the bobbins serving as sources of supply are exhausted, it is merely necessary for the operator to replace the empty bobbin with another containing a iull package of yarn or merely the remaining waste in the case of a used bobbin and take the free end therefrom to a position in proximity to the entrance of the duid-conveying conduit where the suction immediately draws the yarn or vbundle into the system. Alternatively, he may merely place the free end of the yarn from the fresh bobbin on one or more of the strands proceeding to the entrance of the fluid-conveying conduit. Likewise, it is unnecessary to interrupt the operafilamentary material therethrough, supporting means for a supply of lamentary material, means in advance of said conduit for guiding the material thereto from the supporting means, a grill facing the discharge opening of said conduit and comprisinga plurality of smooth-faced rods spaced apart to provide slits therebetween, the rods being inclined from the normal to the direction of fluid discharge from the conduit.

3. Apparatus for handlng filamentary material comprising a. conduit, means for directing a fluid stream through the conduit for conveying filamentary material therethrough, supporting means for a plurality of supplies of continuous illamentary material, a common guide in advance of said conduit for guiding the material from the supporting means for said plurality of supplies into said conduit, a grill facing the discharge opening of said conduit and comprising a plurailty of smooth-faced rods spaced apart to provide slits therebetween, the rods being inclined from the normal to the direction of fluid discharger from the conduit.

4. Apparatus for handling lamentary material comprising a conduit, means for directing a fluid stream through the conduit for conveying lamentary material therethrough, a grill facing the discharge opening of said conduit and comprising a plurality of smooth-faced rods spaced apart to provide slits therebetween, the rods being inclined from the normal to the direction of fluid discharge from the conduit, and means in said conduit for cutting said material into discontinuous lengths.

5. Apparatus for handling filamentary material comprising a conduit, means for directing a fluid stream through the conduit for conveying lamentary material therethrough, supporting means for a supply of filamentary material, means in advance of said conduit for guiding the material thereto from the supporting means, a grill facing the discharge opening of said conduit and comprising a plurality of smooth-faced rods spaced apart to provide slits therebetween, the rods being inclined from the normal to the direction of fluid discharge from the conduit. and means in said conduit for cutting said material into discontinuous lengths.

6. Apparatus for handling illamentary material comprising a conduit, means for directing a iluid stream through the conduit for conveying illamentary material therethrough. supporting means for a plurality of supplies of continuous lamentary material. a common guide in advance of said conduit for guiding the material from the supporting means for said plurality of supplies into said conduit, a grill facing the discharge opening .of said conduit and comprising a plurality of smooth-faced rods spaced apart to provide slits therebetween, the rods being inclined from the normal to the direction of uid discharge from the conduit, and means in said conduit for cutting said material into discontinuous lengths.

'7'. Apparatus for handling iilamentary material comprising a conduit, means for directing a fluid stream through the conduit for conveying filamentary material therethrough, said means comprising an injector nozzle for inducing suction at the entrance end o f said conduit, a grill facing the discharge opening of said conduit and comprising a plurality of smooth-faced rods spaced apart to provide slits therebetweenI the rods being inclined from the normal in the direction of fluid discharge from the conduit.

8. Apparatus for handling lamentary material comprising a conduit, means for directing a iiuid stream through the conduit for conveying lamentary material therethrough, said means comprising an injector nozzle for inducing suction at the entrance end of said conduit. means in said conduit beyond said nozzle for cutting said material into discontinuous lengths, a grill facing the discharge opening oi said conduit and comprising a plurality of smooth-faced rods spaced apart to provide slits therebetween. the

6 rods being inclined from the normal to the direction of fluid discharge from the conduit.

9. Apparatus for handling filamentary material comprising a conduit, means for directing a iiuid stream through the conduit for conveying lament'ary material therethrough. a grill facing the discharge opening of said conduit and comprising a plurality of smooth-faced rods spaced apart to .provide slits therebetween, the rods being inclined from the normal to the direction of duid discharge from the conduit. said i rods being disposed in a non-linear row with its concave side facing the discharge opening of the conduit.

10. Apparatus for handling iilamentary material comprising a conduit, means for directing a fluid stream through the conduit for conveying lamentary material therethrough, a grill facv ing the discharge opening of said conduit and comprising a plurality of smooth-faced rods spaced apart to provide slits therebetween, the rods being inclined from the normal to the direction of iiuid discharge from the conduit, the rods being `disposed in an arcuate row with its concave side facing the discharge opening of th conduit.

ERNEST K. BAUER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

